A Beautiful Day: Recent Episodes
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A Beautiful Day is a virtual early childhood space designed to connect with children and families in Nebraska and across the world. We created this space as a way to share ideas, to foster learning and play, and to support caregivers experiencing physical distancing. We will be adding more videos on a regular basis.
An introduction to the website A Beautiful Day!
This video provides an overview of the resources available to foster learning and play while supporting caregivers.
The University of Nebraska at Lincoln Faculty, Extension Educators and Early Childhood educators, along with their children are featured in these real-life, relatable videos.
Join Aliza, Mira, and Matt as they read, "I Really Like Slop!" by Mo Willems. Notice how Aliza and Mira have lots of fun reading the book. Matt engages Aliza and Mira by slowing down, asking questions, and letting them read along with him.
Join us as we practice letter recognition during a tea party. When your child wants to learn the alphabet through play, it can be a fun way to learn. Get the circle letter cutouts here as well as other playful Alphabet games: https://planningplaytime.com/free-alphabet-printables/ What are creative ways you help children learn? Ages 3 to 6 years
This video shows children how to care for a bucket calf. Come join Meredith as she shows you how to care for Ruby.
Ages, 2 and up
Lynn DeVries shares a simple activity to help children foster kindness and compassion by collecting dandelion seeds. She will show you how to make a caring wish lantern to enjoy. This is a great summer activity. What are other ways you can create a caring wish lantern during other times of the year?
Ages 2 and up
Learn how to build an aquifer in a jar and watch the water flow. Building an aquifer great fun.
Children learn so much when they explore and play on their own. They can explore their creativity and work through their challenges. Watch them as they play and explore without telling them what to do.
Ages: 3-8 years
Take plastic or paper cups and then show your young child how to stack them and knock them down. This is a great way to practice building and teaching children to try different ways to stack and build with their cups.
Ages: 3 and up
Take the time to engage and support your infant with their tummy time. Place objects they are interested in and can grab as they are placed on their tummy. Stay with your infant and if you notice they become frustrated place the objects closer so they can reach them. Remember that infants should always have their close adult sitting with with them during tummy time.
Ages: 3 months-pre-crawling
Support toddlers and preschoolers in developing their balancing skills by going outside and drawing a line in the sand or in the dirt. This is a fun way to actively engage children's thinking and gets their bodies moving.
Ages: 3-6 years
Children really enjoy putting objects into containers and then taking them out. This is a great way for them to explore and develop thinking around cause and effect.
Ages: 8-18 months
Take some ice cubes outside on a warm day and support children learning in learning about cause and effect as they watch the ice cubes melt. You can put some ice cubes in sun and some ice cubes in the shade. Then talk about what the children notice.
Young children can have so much fun sorting and lining up items found in our everyday environments. Go outside and find some rocks and then sort them by color, size, textures, and shapes. Then you can practice counting the rocks and make patterns.
Age: 3-6 years
Mobile infants enjoy finding items and then moving them around. This develops their fine motor and gross motor skills while having fun!
Ages: 12-18 months
Take the time to notice what young children see when they look out the window. This is a great way to teach them to words, have a conversation and just be together. Looking outside can also be a calming and soothing activity.
2 months to 3 years
Children like to collect special treasures that they find outdoors. Give children a box to collect their treasures and then take the time to talk about what they found.
There are many benefits to cooking with young children. They can learn and practice tool use, measurement, and the science of cooking and baking! In this video, Teacher Alyssa provides an easy recipe that incorporates all of these aspects. Think of some of your favorite muffin toppings and get ready to make some simple oat muffins!
Length: 9:14; 2-8 years
In this story, Ruby is inspired to build a fort and asks her brothers for help. Each of her brothers tell Ruby, "No", which in turn, reveals her persistence and determination to create a fort on her own. Ruby shows that if you put your mind to something, you can do anything and that if you are kind and helpful to others, others will be kind and helpful to you, too!
Length: 8:42; 2-8 years
Blow bubbles for me to chase and try to catch. Show me how to make the bubbles pop. This is a wonderful “serve and return” activities for caregivers to do with young children.
Length: 2:18; 6 months and older
Take me outside and encourage me to find things of different colors. Then ask me to name a color and you find something.
Length: 1:40; 3 - 8 years
Let’s paint with water! Give me a bucket of water and a paintbrush. Have me “paint” the sidewalk, bricks, or rocks. Watch me as I show you my creativity.
Length: 3:41; 2 and older
Help me choose a tree that we can call “our special tree.” We can visit it often, observe it carefully, and enjoy it together. Special times outdoors creates important emotional connections in my brain.
Length: 4:26; 2 and older
Come outside with me. Lie down next to me and watch the clouds. Talk with me about all of the different shapes we see.
Length: 2:08, 2 and older
Take the time to talk to children about their thoughts and feelings. You can support their ideas by listening, asking open ended questions, being patient and following their lead with the topics. One way to help children who are worried is to listen to their ideas. Children are also finding joy in this time and it is important to help them express their happiness and joys to build resilience to the stressful situation. This video asks children of different ages to share their worries about the pandemic.
Length: 4:50; 3 and older
Science experiments enhance a child's predictive skills as well as their understanding of the scientific process. The scientific process involves asking a question, conducting the experiment, observing changes, and recording notes and drawings of the experiment. This experiment requires few materials, and some patience!
Length: 5:56; 2-10 years
These letter sensory bags provide a great way to practice fine motor skills, such as writing letters! The child will increase their precision, strength, coordination, and efficiency when using muscles in the hand. All you need is a few materials and a sense of exploration!
Length: 4:02; 2-8 years